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Monks Not Behaving Politically in Cambodia

My students and I do not participate in politics. They already have politicians, and what I am doing is following the Buddha’s advice.

These are the words of Meas Sokhorn head monk of a central Phnong Peng temple in Cambodia. They follow threats that two members of his monastic community, Manh Sokreal and Nob Vanny, will be disrobed for taking part in political activities. The two are said to have invited land protestors into the temple grounds. It raises important issues about monastic involvement in politics and the interpretation of an offense entailing expulsion (pārājika) from the Buddhist monastic community. It is not at all clear how political activity would fit into this category of actions.

This is the latest of a series of political involvement by Cambodian monks, as reported in The Phnong Peng Post:

Last month, armed police raided the Wat Neak Vorn pagoda in Tuol Kork district after some of its monks attended an opposition demonstration that descended into violence at Freedom Park, while a week ago more than 100 monks turned out to protest at Sansam Kosal pagoda in Meanchey district after a Khmer Krom monk who took part in recent protests outside the Vietnamese Embassy was called to a meeting with district religious authorities.